Jeb Bush, GOP: Time to leave Reagan behind

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush said Saturday that it's time for the Republican Party to give up its "nostalgia" for the heyday of the Reagan era and look forward, even if it means stealing the winning strategy deployed by Democrats in the 2008 election.

"You can't beat something with nothing, and the other side has something. I don't like it, but they have it, and we have to be respectful and mindful of that," Mr. Bush said.

The former president's brother, often mentioned as a potential candidate in 2012, said President Obama's message of hope and change during the 2008 campaign clearly resonated with Americans.

www.washingtontimes.com...

It's obvious now that Gov. Bush is vieing for a spot on the GOP ticket come 2012.
But asking the GOP to not hold Reagan in almost Godlike status is akin to herasy.
Perhaps Jeb is trying to attract younger conservatives that have little memory of President Reagan. Risky stratagy IYAM!!

[edit on 22-8-2009 by whaaa]

Or, he may be saying the GOP is no longer what it used to believe in and stood for, and that GOP'ers should be complacent with what it is today. If true, the GOP may be done for.

Originally posted by IKnowNothing
Or, he may be saying the GOP is no longer what it used to believe in and stood for, and that GOP'ers should be complacent with what it is today. If true, the GOP may be done for.

There does seem to some fragmentation within the GOP hierarchy, with the Religious right pulling one way and the moderates pulling the other.

Not to mention the uber conservatives that want to return to the 50's.
And the Goldwaterites that are attempting to be a voice of reason.



[edit on 22-8-2009 by whaaa]

I believe that there has always been somewhat of a divide within the GOP. However, over the last few years I've noticed that the religious right has slowly become the stereotype of a GOP'er. It has been extremely tough for the GOP as a whole, with such great divides, it's almost as if it is more important to determine which way the GOP should sway rather than returning to it's core values.

Jeb and the other Republican party leaders are determined to head for the bow of the ship (think Poseidon Adventure) along with the Democrats. Somehow those of us who still believe in small government, controlled immigration, and the U.S. constitution will have to make our way to the stern without them.

It raises the question, though. How well has the GOP done in the recent past running moderates? McCain? Loss. Dole? Loss. GHW Bush? Ran with Reagan's success as a backdrop and won 1988, then promptly alienated his own base and lost decisively in 1992.

I don't think its a winning strategy for the GOP. The problem for the GOP is that they've abandoned their core principles, small government certainly not least among them. In doing so, they alienated and demoralized their base, which was compounded by a weak nominee in McCain.

And let us not forget that for all of these calls for the GOP to reposition to the left, how did the Democrats win so many seats in Congress the last two cycles? In a strategy devised by Rahm Emanuel, they did so largely by recruiting Democratic candidates to run to the right of their squishy moderate GOP counterparts. In one of the greatest ironies in American politics in some years, its now these conservative 'blue dog' Democrats that are giving the Obama administration so much trouble.

No, I think the best strategy for the GOP isn't a change of party platform, but a change of leadership. The party is in desperate need of new faces at the forefront. The dinosaurs like McCain and Jeb Bush are the ones that need to exit the building and make way for a new generation of GOP leadership that can't be as easily tarred with the party's mistakes of the past.

That's the road to resurgence for the GOP, not a broad lurch to the left. New ideas never hurt, but in the end, the primary objective should always be for each party to offer a clear alternative to the platform of the other on most issues. If the GOP fails to do that and fails to adhere to its own party principles, they will not win.

[edit on 22-8-2009 by vor78]

The only problem with Obama's message of hope and change is that he can't deliver it with his policies. If ever we needed Reagan's true message of hope and change and US superiority it is now.

Edit to add......this is not breaking news...this was discussed during the election.

[edit on 22-8-2009 by RRconservative]

This just proves my theory that Jeb Bush, Charlie Crist, John McCain and the rest of this reprehensible filth are no better than the two faced coruptocrats on the other side of the aisle.

They are two busy dressing up the outhouse and painting a different shade of carp on a self serving ideology. Liberal Republicans or Socialist Democrats.

Find out how your "representative" votes, and vote the sorry piece of excrement out if he differs from your opinion.







[edit on 22-8-2009 by RoofMonkey]

I hear a lot of dissatisfaction with the moderates in the GOP.
Do you honestly think that a Right wing party could sway enough people to actually be a viable challenge?

The demographics show that most voters are moderates and extreme views on both ends of the spectrum are a source for jokes.

Jeb could be the man that saves the GOP. I doubt it because the fragmentation is so deep.




[edit on 22-8-2009 by whaaa]

If the GOP is looking for a savior they should put forth:



Mitt Romney.

They won't, makes too much sense. As for not voting in a Morman, well didn't you just vote in a black guy? I never thought I would live to see that day.

reply to post by intrepid


Kind of racist for a forum moderator. So being black is lower on the scale than a morman. Would that be along the line blacks are only 1/3 a man and cant vote.

reply to post by JBA2848


Your comprehension is skewed. I said I never thought America would vote in a black man in my lifetime. I've heard the same argument about America not voting in a member of the LDS. Get it?

reply to post by intrepid


Romney's problem isn't religion, its political. He has a gigantic credibility problem on two key issues in the south and the midwest: abortion and gun control. Until he can convince GOP voters in those two areas that he's solidly in their corner on those two issues, he has little chance of securing the nomination.

i think W finished off the bushs. jeb, who is more articulate, is still OF that "F THE POOR AND MIDDLE CLASS" belief. but with the amount of stupid americans that don't care about improving their own lives, they would still turn out for him in droves. never underestimate the amount of dumb people in america.

reply to post by vor78


The times are changing, for better or worse, and while that may be a liability in the south/MW it's a big country. If he can get the ball rolling NOW, I believe he has a shot. He's the best man for the job. The guy knows how to get things done.

Edit: Checked up on those issues. He's already started.

I agree with jimmy, the Bush name is done for at least a decade.



[edit on 22-8-2009 by intrepid]

Originally posted by jimmyx
never underestimate the amount of dumb people in america.

With the election of Mr. Obama, that can't possibly ever happen again.

Anyway back on topic.........

Dissing Reagan is not the way to get the Repubican Party back on track. The riddance of McCain Republicans, or Dem lite is the only way to do it.

reply to post by jimmyx


Maybe the Republicans' problem is that they are embracing backwards ideologies. The Democrats are far from perfect, and do not always have the right answers, but they are focussed on the issues that matter.

Democrats are focussing on issues like healthcare, preventing another banking crisis, and balancing the budget. Republicans are worried about fetuses and homosexuals. Most rationale people could care less about what some gay people are doing behind closed doors, but do care about Bankers screwing people out of their retirement savings.

Originally posted by hotpinkurinalmint
reply to post by jimmyx

 

Maybe the Republicans' problem is that they are embracing backwards ideologies. The Democrats are far from perfect, and do not always have the right answers, but they are focussed on the issues that matter.

Democrats are focussing on issues like healthcare, preventing another banking crisis, and balancing the budget. Republicans are worried about fetuses and homosexuals. Most rationale people could care less about what some gay people are doing behind closed doors, but do care about Bankers screwing people out of their retirement savings.

i agree with you...it's nice to finally have the adults back in charge...but the democrats have a huge uphill battle. entrenched monied interests have long claws and teeth, and they do not go down often.

Originally posted by intrepid
The times are changing, for better or worse, and while that may be a liability in the south/MW it's a big country. If he can get the ball rolling NOW, I believe he has a shot. He's the best man for the job. The guy knows how to get things done.

I think the key for Romney will be the state of the economy heading into the 2nd half of 2011. He has an opening there and if people are suffering from a jobless recovery or worse, and they may well be, that may be enough to make many GOPers forget their objections to Romney's past and give him a chance. If the economy is looking up, he's got big problems.

Moving forward, Romney's age is also going to start playing against him. He'd turn 66 years old two months into his first term. Then, you start running into the old stereotype of Republicans as old, rich, white guys, except in Romney's case, he's got the additional problem, especially in the South, of being an old, rich, white Republican from Massachusetts.

He can certainly win in 2012, but he very much faces an uphill climb.



[edit on 22-8-2009 by vor78]

Originally posted by hotpinkurinalmint
Democrats are focussing on issues like healthcare, preventing another banking crisis, and balancing the budget. Republicans are worried about fetuses and homosexuals. Most rationale people could care less about what some gay people are doing behind closed doors, but do care about Bankers screwing people out of their retirement savings.

Democrats and Republicans alike were the cause of the banking crisis, and the budget. You can't just state that one party isn't trying to do one thing or another, because both parties have the same goals and same agendas, either way, the taxpayers are going to get screwed.

There are many Democrats and Republicans that worry about abortions and homosexuals. Just look at the result of Prop. 8 in California, many Democrats voted yes on it, and many Republicans voted no. As a matter of fact, it was the Democrats who came out to vote for Obama that swayed the result of Yes on Prop. 8. On the topic of abortions and homosexuals, in regards to, the Democrats in California, you might want to focus on their religious affiliations, such as Catholicism and Baptist.

Both parties have their religious nuts. Problem is, Republicans are stereotyped by the media to be the religious nuts. The problem is the media portrayal of both parties. The fact is that the majority of Americans get suckered into believing the media stereotypes.

I believe that the general public gives their political parties and politicians way too much credit. They haven't done anything to help the situation at hand, but continue to make it considerably worse. It doesn't matter what party a politician belongs too, I will give credit to where credit is due, but I will not give a pass when nothing has been done.

[edit on 22-8-2009 by IKnowNothing]